Monday, March 24, 2008

So, another week goes by and my church finds itself in the mouths of the talking heads. My new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss III, is now the target their anger and outrage for using the word lynch to describe the way our Senior Pastor and our church is being demonized. I thought these "journalist" were supposed to be so smart! One definition for the word Lynch is to put a person to death without due legal process or authority. On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Moss reminded us that Jesus himself had been lynched, his life thrown into the hands of an angry mob without proof of his guilt or innocence. Being the master of words that he is, Pastor Moss then used the word Lynch as a METAPHOR to describe the way OUR PASTOR AND OUR CHURCH was being charged, judged, and sentenced without a fair trial or due process. Can any American Citizen cast judgment on our church's ministry based on under a minutes worth of evidence? Here are Pastor Moss's comments in context....

Fox News - I anticipated that if Barack Obama got very far in the Democratic Primary it would only seem natural for FOX to attack him. I'm sure he saw the writing on the wall as well when he found out that Rupert Murdock is a Hillary Clinton supporter!!! So like everyone else, with popcorn in lap, I anxiously awaited the blood letting. You can imagine my horror when I realized some of that blood would be my own faith community.

Why they do this - Admittedly, I've always been a bit skeptical about the fairness of our democratic process. I've had the opportunity to vote in the last 3 presidential elections and I noticed early on that people's emotions were being manipulated. I wasn't quite sure if this was the case but I read up on the philosophies of Freud and Berneys and how these philosophies have been used by politicians to bring the worst out of us all. I believe Michael Richards referred to this as 'what lies beneath the surface'. In 2004 it was Terry Shiavo and Gay marriage. In 2008 the irrational political non issue seems to be what are the Negroes doing talking about politics and oppression in church on Sunday and why do the 'ungrateful Negroes' complain why don't they go back to Africa!

"Politicians and planners came to believe Freud's underlying premise - that deep within all human beings were dangerous and irrational desires and fears. "

Lou Dobbs - Today Lou Dobbs gave his opinion on Pastor Moss's Easter Sermon all in a tizzy! He also was particularly irritated by the lynching metaphor, and questioned WHY THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN ISN'T DOING SOMETHING?? THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN HAS TO STOP THIS. Mr. Dobbs, hate to inform you but we aren't part of Obama's campaign. Our Pastors develop their sermons straight from the Word of God, not Axlerod, not Hannity, and not YOU, Sir! No matter the results of this election, the Word of God doesn't change. Jesus had compassion for the poor! Jesus fed the hungry! Jesus went into to the temple and raised Holy Hell! Jesus Christ was considered a "liberal" by that days scribes and pharisees! If Jesus were among us today, I'm positive he would have marched against the War in Iraq! Trinity United Church of Christ Cares for our communities spiritual AND their social needs JUST LIKE JESUS DID

Well, I started calling CNN Clinton News Network sometime ago. In my opinion there is little balance and it seems they say whatever will get their candidate elected. As someone who received a Masters from one of the finest journalism schools in the country, I found this feeding frenzy troubling. It made me want to take my degree off the wall. My friends from j-school won Pulitzers for balanced reporting not this sort of yellow journalism. It is really pathetic. Infotainment seems to be the order of the day. Trinity, you keep speaking truth to power. You are Gods newspaper, to report to the world, "Thus says the Lord." As an investigative reporter took on the corrupt PA police and Mayor Rizzo, so you take the truth to those who most need it, those oppressed by the sinful systems and their effect on ones ability to fell good. Keep letting them know as Howard Thruman noted, we are not the labels folks give us, we are Gods children. Keep telling the truth, it will set some free. They may try to mock you, but Christ is still preached. Keep praying. My heart goes out to you all. God bless you.I am so glad you made the distinction no matter what happens in the election, you stil have a call. Yes, I am unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian. Do I hope Obama wins? Yes! But even if that happens, Trinity, you have a work to do. Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on, you gotta hold on. . .

Thank you for creating this blog. I am an author and op-ed writer and I have written a piece titled "The Lies and Distortions of the 30-Second Sound Bite." This piece was distributed today to the Black media via BlackNews.com. In the piece, I referenced your blog and hope many others will visit. Here's a link to the piece:http://www.blacknews.com/news/gwen_richardson301.shtml

I give you my deepest sympathies and am very sorry to hear about all the hypocrisies thrown to your church's direction and in the face of Rev. Wright for the wholly unscrupulous and unbiased reporting continuously being run by all the news organizations and especially by Rupert Murdoch and his cronies. I have definitely been doing my part in trying to spread the truth wherever possible.

This is something that has been getting egregiously out of hand, especially under the Bush regime, of flavor and fluff winning the mob of people and ignorant constituents over true unbiased journalism.

I would like to invite you to take a look at these organizations and their worthy causes crusading against such persecution on behalf of providing truth and non subjectivity to the public mass. Thank you for your efforts!http://stopbigmedia.com/http://www.freepress.net/

Thank you for sharing your perspective from the "inside" of this amazing church. I especially loved the feed at the end of the blog. Rev. Wright's words and choir's singing were AMAZING! Know that you have more than prayerful support out here. I hope you feel the love and support of many in the United Church of Christ. God Bless you and your new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, III.

When the Reverend Wright talks about Slavery and this nations History; especially when it comes to Native Americans, Immigrants, Women and Race, the Reverend is living up to the ideals of Mr Jefferson.

I am a Trinitarian and I am so grateful to you all for this site. Thank you so much for posting the Total Praise video. You have no idea how many times I've been brought to tears at the very end of service by the power of Rev. leading the choir and the congregation in "Total Praise." It's my favorite benediction.

The truth is I am not a racists. Yet because I am republican somehow by default I am racist. Why does the democratic party try to always paint me as one? Until people like the reverend wright realize this these problems will never stop.